KINGSTON, N.Y. -- One of two city firefighters who jumped from a second-story window Saturday to escape a burning building suffered a fractured left wrist and elbow, and faces at least a six-month recovery period, Kingston Fire Chief John Reinhardt said Sunday.

The other firefighter, Brian Renn, sustained a collapsed lung and should be out of work for a couple weeks, the chief said.

Firefighter Thomas Metzger was admitted overnight at Kingston Hospital with the broken bones after responding to Saturday's four-alarm Franklin Street blaze, and Reinhardt said Metzger underwent surgical procedures for both injuries on Sunday.

Surgeons reset Metzger's bones, but because his bones were shattered rather than being clean breaks, Reinhardt said the firefighter will have to undergo further procedures with orthopedic surgeons when the swelling goes down.

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The chief estimated Metzger's recovery period will be at least six months, "probably longer," because the 13-year city firefighter will have to undergo extensive treatment and physical therapy.

The good news is that "the doctors say these should not be job-ending injuries," said Reinhardt.

Metzger had been released and returned to his home on Sunday, but Reinhardt said Metzger was in significant pain the last time he saw the firefighter.

Renn, on the other hand, was initially thought to have a broken rib but did not. Renn was transferred from Kingston Hospital to Albany Medical Center, from which he was expected to be released Sunday afternoon.

The wooden staircase Metzger and Renn climbed to reach the second story of the 78 Franklin St. apartment building burned away during the course of the fire, trapping the pair. The fire chief said the pair was forced to jump out the window. Renn and Metzger landed on the porch roof, but because it was covered with ice and snow, they slid off and fell to the ground.

Reinhardt said Renn landed in a way that drove his fist and wrist into his chest, collapsing his lung, but the way he landed may have prevented even more serious injuries.

As unfortunate as the incident was, Reinhardt indicated the staircase collapsing before the men could have returned the way they came may have been a blessing in disguise.

"I firmly believe if they had tried to go back down, the stairs would have collapsed under their weight," said Reinhardt, explaining that the fire had weakened the staircase.

The result then would have been a fall all the way past the badly damaged first floor into the cellar.

"They could have had very, very serious injuries," the chief said, "or we might have lost two firefighters."

The cause of the fire remained undetermined.

Investigators initially thought the blaze may have started when an oil burner in the basement exploded about 4:30 p.m., but Reinhardt said Sunday that had been ruled out. He added that a water heater malfunction was also ruled out as the cause.

The basement contained some "overstuffed furniture," but Reinhardt said investigators had been told no one would have been smoking in the cellar to potentially ignite the furniture.

Reinhardt said given the damage and 2 1/2 feet of water flooding the cellar, the investigation has been a difficult task, but officials continue to probe the matter.

"At this point, we're not listing the fire as suspicious," the chief said, noting that an accidental and logical cause could still be found.